Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley
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Dear Editor, Most residents of Columbia County aren't aware of how much crime occurs around them unless they have the bad fortune to become a victim. And if you become a victim in Columbia County, the odds of catching the perpetrator are not very good now. According to the numbers I've found for 2007 through September of 2010 (Sheriff Hessler's tenure) there have been reported: 145 Assaults, with 13 arrests 93 Residential Burglaries, with 7 arrests 40 Commercial Burglaries, with 4 arrests 451 Thefts, with 9 arrests 113 Car Prowls, with 2 arrest...
Letter to the Editor: There have been a lot of letters to the editor professing their non-support of Prosecuting Attorney Rea Culwell. These people all believe that they have some basis for their opinion, and that for some reason their opinion is something that everyone wants to hear. From my vantage point, most of these detractors are upset because of the prosecution of a family member. If those who had written these letters were the victims in the cases and Rea had not prosecuted, my guess is that their letters would be just as negative, but...
Dear Editor, Integrity, commitment, decisiveness, legal reasoning, insight, and experience - Kris Hedine will bring all of these attributes to the position of part-time District Court Judge. Kris's experience speaks for itself. He currently serves as judge pro tem in Walla Walla District Court while remaining active in his private practice. He has had extensive experience in handling numerous cases (both jury and bench trials) throughout Eastern Washington over the past 28 years, while trying both plaintiff and defense cases in both civil and...
Dear Editor, John Turner is a man of integrity who wants nothing more than to live a life of service. He has a passion for public safety and law enforcement and has served in that capacity as a veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department (where he saw it all) and as a highly respected police attorney. He has also served as a Counter-Terrorism Investigator/Rule of Law Advisor for the U.S. Army and is currently a Special Investigator for the Department of Homeland Security. John has deep family roots in the area and has made Walla Walla his...
Dear Editor, It is an honor to write this letter recommending Randy Lewis to be the next Columbia County Prosecutor. As a practicing behavioral health professional, I have come to know many individuals in the legal profession, as it is necessary to work collaboratively with them for the betterment of our respective clients' lives. Mr. Lewis stands out as experienced and able to tell chaff from grain. During this campaign, much mud-slinging has occurred, and in response to this, there are two primary points I wish to make. First of all, to...
Dear Editor, How much are children worth in Dayton and Columbia County? They are worth everything - they are our future! Dayton and Columbia County provide great schools, sports, summer activities, 4-H and much more for our children. In the last couple of years, new programs have been initiated which serve to keep our children free from harm. One of the programs was an Options Bed for runaway or homeless youth funded by our county commissioners. Sheriff Hessler did not participate in the planning of this with a local group, and it took many...
Dear Editor: Even though Mr. Bulota of Starbuck was not known to me personally, it was nevertheless very disturbing to find that the Columbia County sheriff did not organize a search for the man right away after he went missing. Sheriff Hessler should be made to account for the fact that no search dogs or manhunt was done when Mr. Bulota went missing last March. A veteran rescue coordinator said it is far easier to find remains within a week of a fatal accident. Sheriff Hessler later said a search for Mr. Bulota was like finding a needle in a...
Dear Editor, Recently two of Ms Culwell's supporters said that Ed Nichols of New York was not a worthy person to endorse Mr. Lewis because he (Nichols), "makes a living defending sex predators, molesters and people accused (notice here, accused not convicted) of incest." In the case of Mr. Nichols' firm, many of his clients are spouses who have been accused of sexual misconduct as a result of divorce disputes over child custody. Divorce disputes bring many false accusations, and only by going to trial can the truth be determined Ms Culwell...
Dear Editor, In one of Ms Culwell's campaign brochure, she states that she passed the bar in 2001; in another she says she passed the bar in 2002. In one she says she has prosecuted nearly 1,000 cases; in another she says she has prosecuted over 1,000 cases. Which is accurate? I have attended court sessions and have seen both Lewis and Culwell in action. Lewis seemed well prepared. He had his trial materials laid out in an organized way on his table. He presented his defense in a straight-forward, easy-to-understand way. Ms Culwell, on the othe...
Dear Editor, Here are a couple of what I consider facts that helped me choose Randy Lewis for Prosecuting Attorney Fact 1. Randy's opponent Rea Culwell did not tell the truth in her campaign brochure when she said, "Lewis has overcharged Columbia County so our judges will not appoint him anymore." On October 6, 2010, I spoke with Judge Acey and he said there was no allegation of over charging, and the county has continued to employ Randy. In fact, Randy has additionally provided pro bono services. Justice will only prevail in the courtroom of...
Dear Editor, I am supporting Mark Franklin for sheriff of Columbia County because I have seen Mark's care and concern for the youth of this community and for the safety of all its citizens. Mark is very proactive and volunteers his time for many community programs and events. Mark serves as chairman of the Columbia County Community Network and is vice president for the Coalition for Youth and Families. He volunteers his time to make presentations at the school and to interact with our youth. I have known several kids who have turned to Mark in...
PRESCOTT - The WP Tigers gave Homecoming crowds in Prescott reason to cheer and holler Friday evening as they slayed St. George's Dragons and defended their title as league champs. The Tigers did a short victory parade during halftime at the WP Cardinals Homecoming game against Tri Cities Prep and were welcomed by thunderous applause from the Waitsburg crowd. The Tigers are 12-0 after beating the Spokane team for the second time this season. Friday's 3-1 score keeps the Tigers at number two in the state for a 2B/1B team and means they are now...
WAITSBURG - The Waitsburg-Prescott Cardinals went 7-0 Friday night after beating Tri Cities Prep 28-7 in a festive Homecoming game. Kris Cady, Dalton Estes, T.J. Hofer and Quarterback Zach Bartlow each scored touchdowns, while the Cardinals' defense allowed only one Jaguars touchdown. For WP, the game was a mixture of opportunities, penalties (some of which brought back touchdowns) and turnovers made up for by more turnovers won on TCP. quot;It was a great Homecoming night win,quot; head coach Jeff Bartlow said. quot;We played extremely hard....
DAYTON - If all goes as planned in the next several weeks, Ski Bluewood will be open under new ownership and management for the 2010 - 2011 ski season. A regional Tri-Cities-based group of investors, led by Bluewood ski instructors Kelly and Mike Stephenson, has agreed to buy the resort from Stan and Nancy Goodell and is busily preparing the mountain for the upcoming season. "Ski Bluewood is a huge resource for this area and for families," said Mike Stephenson, managing partner of WGSKI, the limited liability company being formed to purc...
October 15: Robert Webber, Wayne Stonecipher, Debbie Cobb, Marcus Zuger III, Robin Marshall. October 17: Fred Hofer, Jr., Lorene Swauger, Jim Jensen, Shaun Segraves, Jill Antonius. October 18: Matthew Frohning, Julia Klucas, Edna Kirk, Vicky Maiden, Jesse McCaw, Tanya Maurer, Edgar Tarp. October 19: Ruth Peterson, Noel Atkinson, Rosemary Archer, Lynn Carpenter, Wyatt Withers. October 20: Owen Lee Cole, Rochell Duncan. October 21: Pearl Bickelhaupt, Steve Ahler....
Somewhere my mother read that actor Vincent Price was a vegetarian and loved wheat germ. My brother and I loved the Goulash actor but hated wheat germ, until Mom made one of her delicious nut bread recipes. This was a hobby of Mom's, trying to get her family to eat better foods wrapped up in moist tea cakes. Today, when I saw the pumpkins arrive outside Harvest Foods in Dayton, I decided I would try to create a recipe using wheat germ and fresh pumpkin in a little sweet bread to serve with dinner. I worked on the recipe, and just as I pulled...
WAITSBURG HOMECOMING THIS WEEK WAITSBURG - Waitsburg students, families and community supporters are gearing up for homecoming this week. Wednesday - 12:15 p.m. School assembly and pep rally; field night begins at the football field at 6 p.m. with a barbecue provided by donations from Inland Cellular and Gina Wilson, activities start at 7 p.m. Thursday - 2 p.m. Buff Puff volleyball and pep rally; home volleyball game Thursday evening. Friday - 12:15 p.m. Potato sack races and pep rally; homecoming football game kickoff at 7 p.m. The game wi...
DAYTON - Jim and Laura Peterson, the Columbia County homeowners who appealed a hearing examiner's conditional use permit approval of Puget Sound Energy's Lower Snake River Wind Energy Project, have withdrawn their legal objections against the wind farm. Late last month, the Petersons filed a motion for voluntary dismissal without elaborating on their reasons. Their voluntary dismissal has led the Superior Court for Columbia County to dismiss the Peterson's Petition for Review of Land Use Decision "with prejudice and without costs." Comp...
Ten Years Ago October 26, 2000 Cardinals surprised the Pomeroy Pirates with three touchdowns while holding the always-tough Pirates to just one touchdown at last Friday's Homecoming game. Burglars broke into Waitsburg Grocery in the early hours of October 23. The demolition and discovery phase of the $4.5 million Waitsburg High School Renovation project is proceeding with few surprises. Twenty-Five Years Ago October 10, 1985 Duckworth Repair is erecting a new shop on Preston Avenue next to the White Stallion Restaurant. The 40 by 40-foot pole...
DAYTON - Some time around 11:30 last Tuesday night, someone uncoupled Union Pacific car # BF-100-48, removed the chocks from its front wheel, stepped onto the small ladder in the front of the car and force-snapped the padlocked cable tether to release the brake. Somehow, the derail installed on the tracks failed as the car rolled over it and tore it loose. Almost immediately, BF-100-48 started its dangerous, uncontrolled trek from its position at the Seneca plant at the east end of Dayton. F...
ASIA TO GET TASTE OF WAITSBURG WAITSBURG - This "One of a Kind" town will get another shot at fame and acclaim as Main Street goes international on Discovery Channel's Fun Taiwan early next year. Camera crews, producers and the show's host, Janet Hsieh, were in Waitsburg late Tuesday afternoon with winemaker and downtown building owner Charles Smith. The show, part of the Asian Discovery Channel's Fun Washington series, will air sometime around February of next year on Asia's Discovery Travel and Living Channel. The show is aired in E...
